Automatic system of block-signaling for electric railways.



s. M. YOUNG. AUTOMATIC SYSTEM OF BLOCK SIGNALING FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY-1, 1908.

50, Patented Dec. 30, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

ATTORNEY S. M. YOUNG. AUTOMATIC SYSTEM OF BLOCK SIGNALING FOB. ELECTRICRAILWAYS.

Patented De0..30, 1913.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1908 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

was.

TNVENTOR Z WITNESSES: MW

ATTORNEY current, means for dividing the block sections, a source ofsignaling current,

propulsion current or stray currents.

SAMUEL iunnsn Youne, or new YORK, n. Y.

A UTOMAT IS SYSTEM'OF BLOCK- SIGNALING FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1 913.

v v Application filed May 4, 1908. Serial No. 430,721.

To all 207mmit may concern l Be it known that I, SAMUEL LLARSHJ Younc, acitizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county andState of New York, have invented an Automatic Sys tem of Block-Signalingfor Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic systems ofblock signaling for electricrailways.

In certain applications heretofore made by me and now pendi andincertainpatents obtained by me, III%IELVB described an automatic systemof block signaling, comprising, a source of propulsion current, aconductor leading therefrom and arranged parallel with the track rails,both of which are connected to the power generator and serve as separatereturns for the propulsion railway into means for impressing thesignaling current upon each block section, and means in each blocksection normally energized by the signaling current in the blocksection, and deenergized by the movement of a motor vehicle into theblock section, for controlling signals or other devices for controllingThe essential requirements of such combination of elements, so far assignaling is concerned, consists in dividing the railway into a seriesof closed track circuits, impressing an alternating current upon thetrack circuits, utilizing the alternating cun rent to energize signalcontrolling devices and providing means whereby the action of thesignaling current will be limited to the signal controlling devices inthe closed track circuits, the object of my invention, as described insaid applications and patents being (as to maintain the integrity of theusual electric railway system, where both rails serve as separatereturns for the pro pulsion current, thus insuring a return path for thepropulsion current to the generator, in case of the rupture of eitherrail by reason of a defective joint or broken rail; (6) to provide thatthe movement of a train into and out of a block section, shall controlthe signals, and that the apparatus employed shall not be susceptible tothe action of the My present application involves the same generalsystem and mode of operatiom described and shown in my priorappilcatlons and patents, and is intended to describe and ections bycross conductors.

show various specific modifications, as for mstancey-in my formerapplications and patents, l have described the employment of reactancesas a means for limiting the action of the signaling current impressedupon the block sections, to the translating devices within the blocksections, and several types of reacta-ncc devices were shown anddescrlbed; in my present application the reactance employed to confinethe signaling current to the limits of the block sections. is inducedwithin the substance of the track rails by the impressed current. Tn myformer applications and patents, the means employed for impressing thealternating current upon the block sections consisted of transformerswith their secondaries connected directly to the rails. In the presentapplication, in Figure 4, l have illustrated a construction, where theconductors of the closed track circuits form the secondaries of theenergy transformers. In my prior applications and patents I havedescribed and shown the translating devices for controlling the signalsas arranged in shunt across the rails. In my present application, Fig.2, I show the translating devices in shunt. of one of the rails and inFig. 4., as in inductive relation with the conductors of the closedtrack circuits, the closed track circuits in this arrangementt'ormingthe primaries of transformers and the coils of the translating devicesthe secondaries of such transformers.

in my former applications and patents, I have described and illustrateda reactance device, which may be given two forms, if. 6., that known asan air bond, which consists of a body of insulated twisted wires, andthat known as a core bond, which consists of a laminated core and a coilor coils thereon. These two forms are respec tively illustrated in Figs.2 and 3 of my prior Patent No. 757,537} In an application filed in thename of S. Marsh Young and Fitzhugh Townsend on November 21st, 1903,other types of rea'ctance devices are disclosed, for instance, in Fig.1, the arrangement is such that rcactance is created within the body ofthe conductors of the closed track circuits, the rails being joined atthe oppositeends' of the track circuits or block In Figs. 4 and 5 theemployment of a metallic sleeve in connection with the crossconductorsis illustrated.

in my former applications and patents, l.

- modifications of my 'responds-to'Fig. 2, with the exception that .onerall is broken between -one member oft-each relay, thus diverting is asimilar view with the is shown as divided into three block sections havedescribed the em 'loyment of tractive re- 5 lays, rotary relays, anpolyphase relays. In my present application I have described theemployment of poly hase relays which may be actuated, either y twophases derived from the signaling current, or one phasederived from thepropulsion current and one phase from the signaling-current.

I wish it understood that I consider the description and illustrationsof this appli cation as presenting no new system, but as before stated,merely different specific embodiments of my system, as set forth inmyPatent No. 7 57 ,537 which patent-contains" thefollowing statement: Iwish it understood that I do not limit myself in any wise to theparticular details of construction shown, as it is manifest that manychanges may be made therein and yet embody the same general inventiveidea.

have not entered into a detailed account of the electrical actionstaking place in the system or the effect thereon of transformers,reactance-bonds, with or without iron, condensers, &.c., as it wouldrequire too long a description. The generalfeatures of construction asdescribed are all that is necessary for an electrician to install andoperate the system, the size and character of the transformers, the sizeand character of the reactance-bonds, &c., all being matters which maybereadily determined by experiments, having in mind the character of thecurrents employed, the length of the'blocks used, the reactance of therails, and other features and details withinthe knowledge of electric-railway engineers.

The accompanying diagrams which show system will serve to illustrate myinvention, in which- Fig.1 illustrates my system as designed foremployment with an alternating power current with continuous track railsdivided into block sections by cross conductors and, the translatingdevices having one member connected across the rails. Fig. 2 illustratesmy system as designed for employment with a direct power current withcontinuous track rails divided into sections bycross conductors and thetranslating devices having one member in shunt with one rail. Fig. 3corthe terminals of the whole "power current from the rail through onemember of each relay. Fig. 4 'energy,t1'ansform= ers and one member ofeach relay arranged in inductive relation with the closed trackcircuits. Fig. 5 is a detaillview of the rails and a cross bond with-aniron sleeve on the bond.-

In the diagrams Figs. 1 and 2, the track sleeve 13 increases A, B, O; 5,Fig.1 indicates. an alternating power generator and 6, Figs. 2, 3 and 4,a direct power generator. The generator 6 of Fig. 3 may be analternating power generator; 7 in all of the figures is an alternatingsignaling generator; 8 indicates the power feeder, which may be aconductor arranged along the railway or a third rail; are the rails,which are mechanically and electrically continuous for all currents,that is, theserails are bonded together in the usual manner for electricrailways. They are also bonded together by cross conductors 11 at eachend of each block section, the posit-ion of these cross conductorsdetermining the length of the block sections. The rails are bothconnected to one terminal of the power generator, as, for instance, bythe conductor 12, Figs. 2, 3 and 4. ,In Fig. 1, the cross conductor 11forms the connecting member. Each block section forms a closed trackcircuit, such closed track circuit consists of the rails 9, 10, and twobonds 11 at opposite ends of a block section. The bonds or crossconductors 11 may be formed as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, or asshown in Fig.5, that is, provided with an iron sleeve 13, the purpose ofthis sleeve is to setup a reactance. Itwill be understood that thecrossconductor 11 presents some slight reactance, that the use of the thereactance, and that such reactance may be still further increased byadopting either of the form of bonds shown in my Patent No. 757,537.Under ordinary conditions the reactance of the rails 9, 10 and that ofthe cross bonds 11 will be sniiicient for practical purposes, as 'willbe further described, but I wish it understood that I may, if I desire,increase the reactance-by the use of the instrumentalities heretoforedescribed and shown by me in my prior applications and patents. Theprimary purpose of employing the sleeve 13 as shown inFig. 5 upon thecross bond 11, is to increase the reactance of the path through bond 11to such a point that the consumption-of signaling current required bythe. track circuit will not exceed an economical limit,- and theparticular mode of increasing the reactance also protects the bond frommechanical injury. Leading out from the signaling generator 7 in Fig. 1,is a conductor 14. In Figs. 2, 3, and 4, two conductors are shown 14,15. In Fig. 1, the rail 9 corresponds to the conductor 15 of the otherfigures. Situated at one end of each block section in Fig. 1, is anenergy trans-' former T provided with a core 16 having its primary 17connected across the rail 9 and the conductor 14, and its secondary 18connected across the rails. I may insert in the primary and secondary ofthis transformer, resistances 19, 20,, which serve a purpose theopposite end of the block section is a well known in the art. Located atator,

fit-082,840

translating device R, z. a, a signal controlling device, which is shownin the form of a polyphase relay, one coil 21, of the stator.

that itis only susceptible to the action of the signaling current, orthe conjoint action of two current phases, one derived from the powercurrent, and the other from the signaling current. In Fig. 2 the energytransformer is situated at the middle of the block and has its primary17 across the conductors 14, 15, and its secondary across the rails 9,1O. Translating devices R, R

block and are shown as polyphase relays. Each member 21 in this form,forms the secondary 26 of a transformer S having its primary 27 in shuntof the rail 10. Theother member 22 of the relay is connected across theconductors 14, 15. The translating devices in this figure are bothconnected in the local circuit 24, from which it will be seen that inthis figure the short circuiting of a primary 27 of a transformer S ateither end of a block, will give a danger signal.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 3 .corresponds to that shown in Fig. 2,with the exception that the rail 10 is divided into sections by theinsulations 28. The primary 2'? of this transformer S isin shunt of therail 10, as in Fig. 2, but the whole power current flows through theprimary. If desired the power generator 6 shown in this figure may bemade an. alternating generand assuming the number of cycles from suchgenerator to correspond with that becontrolled by one phase taken fromrail 10 and one phase taken from'across the conductors 14, 15, therebydiffering from the construction shown in the other figures, where therelays are controlled by two phases derived from the generator 7. The

only purpose of introducing the insulation 28 is to increase thestrength of the phase traversing coil 21. In Fig. 4 the energytransformer T is shown as having its pri mary 17 arranged ininductive'relation with the rails 9, 10. By this arrangement, eachclosed track circuit forms the secondary of the energy transformer ofthe block section. The translating devices also are arranged in asimilar manner. In this case each coil 21 is in inductive relation withrails 9, 10, of the closed track circuits. In practice this arrangementis found to be of advantage in the signaling current, the

in this fig-. nre, are located at the opposite ends of the the efi'ectbeing the same in each case.

that-the electric railway system commonly employed is in no wise alteredby connection to the signaling apparatus, the electric railway systemand the signaling system being physically distinct, although ininductive relation. 29 indicates a motor car.

The operation of the system will be read ily understood. Each energytransformer causes alternating current to flow in the closed trackcircuits and to energize the translating devices of said circuits whichclose local circuits, or otherwise control the.

I signals; to show clear.

the frequency of reactance of the ralls and cross bonds is determinedand fixed so that the reactance of the rails will confine the current tothe limit of the block In laying out a system,

sections,- or in other words, reactance will oppose thesignaling currentderived from the energy transformers, in an amount sufficient to preventthe signaling current flowing into adjacent blocks and thus operate thetranslating devices of adjacent blocks. In short it will be seen that mysystem depends upon the principle of impressing an alternating currentupon the track rails, utilizing said current to normally actuate signalcontrolling devices within the limit of the block section andrestricting said impressed current to the limit of the block sectionupon which it is impressed.

It (will-be understood by electricians that the reactance of the railswill depend upon the frequency of the currents transmitted over them,thus it the power current be given a frequency of 20 cycles and thesignaling current a frequency of 60 or more,

the rails will transmit the power current back to the generator withoutopposing reactance, but on the other hand, will oppose sufficientreactance to the signaling current impressed upon each block to confineit to the limits of the block. It will be further understood that theoperation of the sys tem is the same irrespective of whether theopposing reactance to the signaling current is set up in the railsforming a part of the closed track-circuits, or by means of reactancedevices interposed between the divided ends of one rail or two rails asdis closed in my prior applications and patentIs, t will be furtherunderstood that in order to obtain a closed track circuit, such as isdisclosed in this application and in the prior application made in thename of Young and Townsend, both rails cross connected must be employedand preferably as separate and independent returns for the power currentto the power generator.

In this application I have described the rails as continuous, and. bythat term I wish to have understood mechanically continuous, as rails,to support the motor vehicles I thereon, and electrically continuousthrough bonds of any type for any class-of current that may be fed to orproduced in said rails, having in View the normal resistance andreact-ance of such rails presented to the type and frequency of currenton them.

Having thus describedmy invention, I claim:

In a block signaling system,- in combination with an electric railwayhavinghoth rails conductively continuous for all currents, sources ofalternating current connected across the railsat intervals, im-

pedances connected across the rails at points between said sources,track relays, each connected in shunt to a short length of'traek railadjacent to one of said im edanc S, saidrail lengths being alone 511cient to provide the necessary drop in potential for operating therelays, and'signals controlled by'sa'id relays.

In testimony whereof, I affix mysignature,"in the presence of twowitnesses.

SAMUEL MARSH YOUN G. Witnesses:

IV. A. TOWNER, Jr., H-. E. GIFFORD,J r.

Qopie: of th'ispatent' may be obtained for five cents each'; byadilressingtfie Commissioner of Patents.

I Washington, DJG.

